The Store on Melbourne St, North Adelaide. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe Source: National Features

AS TWO foodie mums and their late-teen boys doing lunch, we're looking for a bit of clamour, buzzy atmosphere, things to look at, as well as some decent cooking.

The strapping young men might be pretty savvy about their food choices now but, in some ways, not much has changed since the days of tots and bubbacinos. Young people need activity, conversation pieces and an energetic vibe to go with hearty serves of food. And yes, mums are paying, but we're also looking for value.

All of these things are part of the package at The Store Bistro in North Adelaide. In fact, our reading of the menu is interrupted several times by one son who decides he must have a copy of the Cognac Albert Robin print hanging behind us. He has since been heard talking about other "cool" paraphernalia adorning the collection of spaces.

On one side of the restaurant there are large booths, comfy and a bit retro, while, on the other, light tables and chairs scrape along the floor, adding to the cosmopolitan din.

The restaurant isn't full but the staff seem sparse and rushed off their feet, effectively adding a sense of energy, if not providing us with any friendliness or warmth.

Their days start early, with an all-day (until 3pm) breakfast menu firing up at 7am. In fact, this almost all-day brekkie/brunch menu is more expansive than the lunch/dinner selection, except that the latter is boosted by some pretty appealing specials.

There's a bit of wait to order, which becomes a pattern on this visit because our busy waitress seems to avoid all eye contact. But those French posters and the antics of a deft and exuberant barista luckily keep us entertained.

Eight salads, summery or warm winter veg style, take the place of entrees, or can be upsized as healthy mains.

But for lunch we decide a main and dessert will suffice.

The boys are tempted by The Store cheese burger and a Guinness beef pie special, but come time to order they settle, surprisingly, on completely different fare.

The free-range chicken breast with a spicy chorizo and bean cassoulet and leafy salad is unremarkable. On prompting, one son reports the meat is a little dry, yet the sauce compensates and not a morsel remains on his plate. We decide it deserves a tick for satisfying a healthy young appetite where familiar flavours are preferred over adventure.

The other son reckons he knows his gnocchi, and goes for a gorgonzola and celery version. It's a bigger success. Every creamy smear is swiped from the plate, but not before it is offered around for tasting to evidence his pleasure at the little potato pillows, which are impressively light puffs of starch and air swimming in an oozy, creamy sauce with a tidy, but not overwhelming, hit of cheese, plus celery crunch.

The other mum's gruyere quiche gets a good rap too, although the pastry is a little too tanned for her liking.

Best is my perfectly pan-fried salmon. It flakes easily, an acceptable smidge beyond medium rare, its skin intact and crispy. It is piled high with a "walnut salsa", a cracker mix of herbs and toasty chopped nuts and a zingy yoghurt dressing. I will happily order this gem again.

The only problem with the latter mains is that they are sided by large and singular warm salads, hers way too much broccoli for one, mine a mountain of sweet potato. We spoon half on to each other's plates for a preferred balance.

After our liberal mains, even hungry boys agree that sharing two desserts between us is fine, although mum across the table is cheekily warned not to dip her spoon too often.

It's a good decision, particularly with a lemon posset, which fills a deep and generous glass. Our waitress has overheard the sharing plans and thoughtfully supplies four spoons for dipping into its creamy and tart richness. On the side is a lemon shortbread which is a light, light sugar-dusted biscuit. The dish is a success of restrained citrus flavour in a smooth and feathery custard. Delicious.

The chocolate nemesis with thick cream is a dense cake that will satisfy most chocolate fiends, but the posset has soundly upstaged it.

Sure, we've had to remind the busy waitress about our drinks, and just couldn't catch her ever-averted eyes to ask

for the bill, but the warm decor, paraphernalia and bistro vibe have added animation to our own mother-son contribution to the hubbub.

We'll be doing this again.

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-- HOW IT RATED

THE STORE

Food 13/20

Staff 7/10

Drink 3/5

X-factor 4/5

Value 6/10

TOTAL 33/50

** THE DETAILS

Address

157 Melbourne St, North Adelaide, ph 83361 6999

Food

Bistro

Drinks

BYO: $8 a bottle

Hours

Breakfast 7am-3am seven days

Lunch noon-3pm seven days

Dinner 6.30pm-late Thurs-Sun

Chef

Fabien Streit

Owner

Sondra Deering

Price Guide

Entrees: $12-$14

Mains: $8-$26

Desserts: $10

Snapshot: Buzzy continental cafe feel with solid cooking, but some attention needed to put efficiency and warmth into the service

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